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Mithral Dragon (Dungeons
The is a type of dragon in the Dungeons & Dragons universe. No metallic dragon rivals the mithral for power and majesty. (Though golds are loathe to acknowledge they're inferiority to anyone.) Natives of the Astral Sea, mithral dragons have uncanny insight. Driven by visions and by Io's will, mithrals interact with other creatures only when doing so is necessary to advance their own enigmatic purposes. The few mithral dragons that appear in the mortal world do so to aid religious organizations or great causes–though such dragons can disappear as suddenly as they appear. Other mithrals traverse astral realms, inhabited or otherwise. Lairs and Terrain No two mithral dragons have the same type of lair, nor do mithrals regularly spend a great deal of time on any given terrain. When a mithral does remain in one place, it dwells in a mine (where it can sense remnants of Io's divine will by reading gemstone deposits or veins of ore) or an abandoned temple (where it can attune itself to echoes of ancient faith). On the Astral Sea, mithral dragons live in the domains of deities. Mithrals residing in such places maintain ties to their own deities, but also experience visions related to the dead god's existence. Favored Treasure Mithral dragons do not discriminate about the types of treasure they collect: they take anything that furthers their goals. Unless their goals require wealth, mithrals don't hoard treasure. Diet Since living in the Astral Sea can make hunting difficult, mithral dragons developed as creatures that need little food to survive. As befits their omnivorous nature, many mithrals (both in the world and in the Astral Sea) create gardens or instruct followers to tend flocks. This delegation of tasks allows them to stay in their lairs and concentrate on their visions instead of hunting far and wide to find sustenance. Mithrals that have larger appetites make their lairs on verdant earthbergs within the Astral Sea, and they fiercely guard these precious properties. Physical Characteristics A mithral dragon's scales flex with the muscles beneath them, and they glow faintly. As a mithral ages, the icy white scales of youth darken to silver with white streaks. At the height of a mithral's power, intricate white striations sharply contrast its darker base color. Patterns along the dragon's claws flare with energy during combat. A ring of spikes crowns a mithral's head, and smaller spikes extend down its neck. The spikes stand on end when the dragon is excited– particularly when it's enraged. The dragon's wings consist of radiant energy instead of flesh. Personality and Motivations Mithral dragons retain strong connections to their home plane, the Astral Sea. They speak seldom, impressing upon listeners a sense of purpose too great for words–a purpose beyond mortal comprehension. Visions from Io guide mithrals of varied faiths and callings toward an end planned millennia ago. Mithral dragons that live in the dominions of dead deities commune directly with Io's spirit. They take action when roused from ageless slumber by visions and dreams of vast import. A mithral dragon might associate itself with any good or unaligned deity. Mithral dragons that follow evil deities usually venerate Zehir. Some mithrals disfavor Bahamut, believing that Bahamut fails to further Io's plans and thus does not deserve devotion. Mithrals destroy without hesitation any creatures that stand between them and their goals. Clever creatures can sway a determined mithral dragon only by convincing it that its goals- and, by extension, Io's will-are served by a temporary alliance. Relations with other Creatures Mithral dragons that associate themselves with deities also associate with creatures that share their faith . Mithrals without deities keep to themselves, except when their long-term plans benefit from others' assistance. Mithrals that allow others to serve them are commonly evil. Mithrals deride other dragons, particularly those that collect material goods solely to enlarge their hoards, such as copper dragons and red dragons. Category:Dungeons & Dragons Category:Metallic Dragons Category:Neutral Dragons